Giuliana Rancic On The Mend–What You Need To Know About Breast Cancer and IVF

It was announced Tuesday evening that Giuliana Rancic successfully underwent a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery for her breast cancer, a decision she bravely made after a previous surgery failed to eradicate the cancer entirely. ...

It was announced Tuesday evening that Giuliana Rancic successfully underwent a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery for her breast cancer, a decision she bravely made after a previous surgery failed to eradicate the cancer entirely.

The E! News and Fashion Police host has been public about her treatment ever since her diagnosis earlier this year, and has impressed everyone–including us here at SELF–with her positive, open outlook on the subject.

Rancic is no stranger to the health-spotlight. The entertainment host has long been vocal about her fertility struggles with husband Bill, as well as their decision to undergo In Vitro Fertilization in an attempt to get pregnant. Since announcing her breast cancer diagnosis, online speculation has arose as to whether IVF is to blame. SELF caught up with Sarah Temkin, M.D. of Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of Maryland Medical Center to dispel common IVF misconceptions.

“The claim that there is some correlation between IVF and either ovarian or breast cancer was put to rest in the mid 90’s,” says Temkin. “There has never been any evidence of a connection”

The confusion, Temkin points out, may come from risk factors that both IVF and breast cancer share, such as the inability to have children. “Both IVF and breast cancer are reasonably common, so it’s easy to try and make a connection between the two,” Temkin explains.

Rancic began fertility treatments in 2010 after struggling to have children with her husband, Bill Rancic, for several years, and plans to continue on with treatment once in remission.

“Getting IVF is a personal decision and hopefully women look at all of the evidence before they decide what is right for them, especially considering there is no proven correlation between the two [IVF and breast cancer],” says Temkin. “The modern medical community is even now looking to IVF before breast cancer treatment to salvage a woman’s choice to have children, especially in young patients.”